Lokar Kickdown, Stock Throttle Cable, Holley Carb

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Dusterdenovo

Dusterdenovo

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After more than a few trips to the parts stores, and eating a few incorrect parts because of mangled packaging, I figured out what was needed to make this combination work. Hopefully this will help others considering this setup:

I used the Throttle Cable and Return Spring brackets from AR Engineering (AR004 / AR027). Real nice. On the carb, I added Holley part# 20-64 (universal stud) and everything lines up perfectly.

PS. KD cable not adjusted yet in pics
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Question on the alternator. Looks like you have Edelbrock heads. How close is the Alternator to the Head? Could you take a picture?
 
72Dart6pack said:
Question on the alternator. Looks like you have Edelbrock heads. How close is the Alternator to the Head? Could you take a picture?
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Mine is just mocked up right now. Thats my next quest for parts. The picture will give you a rough idea where it ends up.
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Thanks. Look like it clears the head. This is my current build. A 408 6 Pack

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On that kickdown cable adjustment, (I'm at the same stage on my project) hopefully your kickdown lever works as is with your carb and you don't have to try and drill a new hole in order to have a 1:1 ratio. Not sure what drill bits will work, but the cobalt ones I have we're a no go, ended up cutting the lever and welding back on to match my carb.
 
12many said:
On that kickdown cable adjustment, (I'm at the same stage on my project) hopefully your kickdown lever works as is with your carb and you don't have to try and drill a new hole in order to have a 1:1 ratio.
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My Tranny lever is from A&A Transmissions (P/N KDK 3358) which is apparently the tool for the job.
The total range of the cable travel at the tranny end is 1 5/8". The cable travel at the Carb linkage connection from closed to WOT is 1 3/8". That will mean the Tranny Throttle lever won't travel that last 1/4" at WOT.

Does it need to be closer than that? Kind of sucks that everyone's pieces are different. What say the masses?
 
http://www.hotrod.com/articles/the-lowdown-on-stock-torqueflite-kick-down-linkage/ I may be confused with your mentioning cable travel, I assume you mean "lever " travel. If the carb throttle cable stud moves 1-3/8" and the kickdown lever on trans sweeps 1-5/8" (from properly positioned "at rest" as mentioned in the link above) then yes, at wot the kickdown lever on trans will not be all the way back.​
 
Dusterdenovo said:
Kind of sucks that everyone's pieces are different. What say the masses?
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At least you have a setup that there are specific parts to mix and match available for your combo (in general) With my A100 van engine swap it all has to be engineered from the throttle to the carb. Bell cranks, rods, cable length and then multiple brackets fabricated to make it all work. Using an 84" Lokar throttle cable and the Lokar kd kit, the kickdown now adds so much to the pedal effort that I can't achieve wot. Had to rework the oem throttle rod linkage, cut the Lokar throttle cable down to 36" , make brackets.....got it close, but now I'm gonna need a better bell crank for more leverage! You notice any appreciable pedal effort with that kd cable hooked up?
 
12many said:
http://www.hotrod.com/articles/the-lowdown-on-stock-torqueflite-kick-down-linkage/ I may be confused with your mentioning cable travel, I assume you mean "lever " travel. If the carb throttle cable stud moves 1-3/8" and the kickdown lever on trans sweeps 1-5/8" (from properly positioned "at rest" as mentioned in the link above) then yes, at wot the kickdown lever on trans will not be all the way back.​
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Yes, when I say cable travel, I am referring to the lever travel as the 2 levers are connected to the ends of the same cable. My point was that with this setup when the carb linkage moves it's full range from idle to WOT (1 3/8"), the kickdown lever will only move the same 1 3/8" of the 1 5/8" of the tranny lever's full range so it stops 1/4" shy of being all the way back.

Thanks for attaching that article - I think it gives me the answer I'm looking for. It explains the 1:1 ratio as "if the throttle cable moves 1", the kickdown lever moves 1 inch". I would say this is correct, because the connection for the throttle linkage on the carb and the connection for the KD Cable on the carb both appear to be the same distance from the center of the butterfly shaft so that statement is correct.

The article also mentions that it is important that the Tranny lever arrives at "full back" as the carb arrives at WOT, further that at the "full forward" position, the tranny (throttle pressure?) lever does nothing and that the proper adjustment s/b the tranny lever back at the beginning of resistance at idle.

From all of this, it sounds to me like I need to adjust my KD cable at the carb so that the tranny lever is 1/4" or so from "full forward" at idle, so that as the Throttle hits WOT, the Tranny lever will then be "full back" and I should be good to go.

Does that make sense?
 
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12many said:
You notice any appreciable pedal effort with that kd cable hooked up?
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I don't notice anything through the gas pedal, or even cranking the carb linkage by hand. If I just yank on the cable there is a bit of resistance. I also notice that the tranny lever does not want to return to full-forward by itself.

This info may be suspect, because this is a brand new tranny and there is no fluid in it or anything yet. If that matters.

Sounds like you've got your hands full all right, but I think that van is going to be SWWWEEEEEEEETTT once you're out defiling the pavement with it. With that mid-engine setup, are you expecting to carry the front wheels a bit? THAT would be cool...:thumbsup:
 
With your throttle closed, you want the kickdown lever to be just coming up against the internal spring resistance, which you can feel by moving the lever back gently. The kd lever will be about midway in it's travel at rest, and when operated should move back the same distance as the throttle moves. Id set things up at the carb midway on the adjusters like mentioned in the instruction, but then set up the kd cable end from underneath, that way you can ensure the lever is exactly positioned, then fine tune it from above as needed. My Street Demon has 1.250" of throttle travel from closed to wot, and after setting up the kd cable (and modifying the lever) I also have 1.250" of cable travel.

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